Dressing My Age

I had a humbling experience on Friday. My in-laws were visiting, so we all decided to go out for the afternoon: Lola, Eva, my husband, his parents, myself and Adeline, our French au pair. While the rest of the group had a late lunch, Adeline, Eva and I went to a local surf shop so I could try to find the Juicy bikini I wanted. (They didn't carry it, so I just ordered it from Nordstrom). I was in the mood to shop, and Eva was happy in the Baby Bjorn, so I grabbed a couple of dresses from a line I'd never heard of called Lucy Love. Apparently, it's sort of a surfer chick brand. Anyway, the dresses were the same style: a cotton/modal jersey with thick straps, fitted at the bust and then flaring out below; one was printed with tiny hearts, while the other boasted a really pretty floral. Comfy, cute, and casual. Perfect for hanging out and nursing Eva, I thought. When Adeline saw them, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Her French accent added an air of authority to her words: "Isn't it..." she paused, searching for the word. "Young?"
Ouch.
Without missing a beat, I said: "I'll just wear them around the house." But I sulked over those words all afternoon. Adeline wasn't being unkind; she doesn't even know how to be. She was just being honest. This got me thinking about the subject of age appropriate clothing. In a time when 40 is the new 15 and stars like Halle Berry and Jessica Alba can be found sporting the same styles, it's hard to know what is age appropriate and what isn't. Infants wear Juicy Couture and rock star tees and look more mature than their mothers, who run around in rompers and short-shorts. It's a confusing time.
I've always loved casual clothes from the juniors' departments because they fit me better, but I try to choose wisely. There are things that I wore a few years ago that I would feel utterly ridiculous in - because they're too funky, too sexy, or too - I'll admit it- young. I have to remind myself that just because my body hasn't changed significantly (at least not when clothed) in the last 20 years, that doesn't mean I can still dress the way I always have. So, over the next few days, I'm going to be addressing the issue of what to wear at what age. What works, what doesn't, and how to pull it all together. I'd love to hear your thoughts!